Who doesn’t get at least a little fascinated by stories of silver and shipwrecks? If you’re a fan of these sorts of seaside tales then you’ll love a trip to Dollar Cove in Gunwalloe, which is famous for its treasure that may still be hidden under its sands. Bring your metal detector and prepare to scavenge for coins. Or, at least, prepare to sunbathe on a decent beach.
Perched on the western edge of the Lizard peninsula, south of Helston and Porthleven and just north of Mullion, Dollar Cove is a wild and rugged spot. But it’s a pretty one too. Along with its next-door neighbour, Church Cove, it makes up Gunwalloe Beach in the parish of the same name. Viewers of BBC’s ‘Poldark’, the hit TV series which aired from 2015, might recognise Dollar Cove as the show’s hero, Ross Poldark, played by Aiden Turner, brought sailors and goods ashore in a gripping shipwreck scene filmed on the beach.
In fact, shipwrecks once were all the rage at Dollar Cove. The name itself comes from the bucketloads of silver dollars that spilled out of a ship that met its end here in the 17th century. These coins have been discovered by locals and visitors on the sands a good few times over the years and rumours abound that there are still a few pieces of eight around yet to be unearthed. Hence the metal detector. If you’ve got one, bring it.
The interesting fact about many of the shipwrecks that have happened at Dollar Cove over the years is that they were deliberately caused. In days gone by, fires were lit on the beach to lure vessels laden with treasure against the rocks. Later, when the sailors had scattered, whoever lit those fires would scour the beach and waters for all that booty. Those silver dollars from the 17th century we mentioned earlier? They were from the Spanish ship, San Salvador, which was deliberately wrecked here in 1669.
Aside from shipwrecks and silver coins, though, the sunbathing and surfing are sensational at Dollar Cove. The beach is all large pebbles and shingle at the rear but this gives way to fine sands as the tide drops, which makes for a good place to lay the towel down for an hour or two. Plus, all along the foreshore are rocky outcrops which create a great playground for clambering kiddies and excitable dogs. Pooches are welcome here all-year-round.
For surfers, the waves can be pretty decent out from Dollar and Church coves. And the swimming can be good in those clear waters if you stay really close to the shore but otherwise don’t venture out. It can get dangerous and there is no lifeguard cover here. There’s ample parking in the large National Trust car park next to Church Cove, plus there are toilets and a small café too. If you want to venture further on your day out then take a stroll to the Loe Pool attraction that’s just a short walk away. But staying put is highly recommended, especially if you spend time in both coves. If Church Cove, just behind a small dividing headland, offers genteel golden-sanded serenity then Dollar Cove is its unkempt but no less charming brother.
Let’s face it, you’re probably not going to find any pieces of eight on your trip to Dollar Cove. But nature’s treasures surround this beautiful little spot. With a shoreline that’s dotted with rocky outcrops, bijou rock pools and a gorgeous beach that’s only fully revealed at low tide – not to mention the encircling cliffs that are home to nesting sand martins – Dollar Cove feels as unspoilt and wild as anywhere in Cornwall. And that makes it a true gem in our book of shipwreck stories.